Sherlock Series 1 Episode 2

Most narratives follow a 3 act structure. This is where Act 1 is the setup of the narrative or normality, Act 2 is when a confrontation or disruption is introduced and Act 3 is when there is a resolution of conflict or restoration of normality. Sherlock series 2 episode 2 follows this classic Hollywood narrative construction. In act one, the narrative is set up: We are introduced to the characters, the setting of the bank and are starting to be introduced to the symbols at the band that end up playing an important part later on. In Act 2  there are a series of murders and Sherlock begins to realise the symbols that were thought to be meaningless actually very significant and He and Watson begin to solve the murders and finds out more about the criminal group ‘Black Lotus Tong.’ John and Sarah are also kidnapped In act 3, there is a resolution of conflict as Sherlock manages to save John and Sarah however, the episode does end on a cliff hanger when Shan, the Black Lotus Tong's leader, escapes and contacts a person via online "chat" identified only by the initial "M" who had helped the gang to get a foothold in London then ends a moment before a sniper shoots Shan after "M" types that Shan will not fail again.

There is quite a clear binary opposition portrayed in this episode especially with Sherlock and Watson verses the ‘black lotus gang’ and in particular their leader Shan. This episode really follows the typical hero verses villain format which is particularly highlighted through the huge contrast in the two parties; Sherlock and Watson are portrayed as the hero’s or the ‘good’ as they try to find the murderers and get justice for the victims, whereas Shan and his gang murder and do other crimes so are very much the stereotypical villains or the ‘bad.’ This also similarly shows that Prop’s character theory applying with Sherlock being the protagonist, Watson being the helper/ sidekick, Sarah being the damsel in distress and Shan being the antagonist.

In Sherlock there are several main characters. Sherlock Holmes is the main character in which the series is based around. He is a male private detective around the age of thirty. He is a very out of the norm character and his approach to solving mysteries is very extreme which gets him in some very dangerous situations making him a dramatic device for tension and suspense. He is very passionate about solving mysteries, highly intelligent and very observant which allows him to read people well. His sidekick John Watson is also a key character in the plot. Watson is a male, assistant private detective in his early to mid-forties. He assists Sherlock in solving mysteries but is very more grounded about his approach so makes Sherlock's approaches seem a lot more extreme creating further tension as the audience wonder if this will cause the characters to clash. Another persistent character in the plot is Mrs Hudson although she doesn’t feature much in the ‘Blind Banker’ episode. She is Sherlock and Watson's landlady. She is a female in her early sixties and is a huge contrast to the main characters Sherlock and Watson. She is very strict but also emotional so contrasts and really emphasises their craziness and passion.